Middle East

The Muslim world has now witnessed several instances of a former dictator being exiled under threat of prosecution or actually being forced to appear in court to face charges arising from illegal actions performed while dictator. Zine El Abidine Ben Ali of Tunisia has fled to Jedda, in Saudi Arabia. Sayf al-Din Gaddafi is awaiting […]

Iraq

Can the Boston Bombings increase our Sympathy for Iraq and Syria, for all such Victims?

Juan Cole

The horrific bombings of the Boston Marathon produced inspiring images of a spirited, brave Boston refusing to be cowed. Some spectators surged forward toward the danger to apply tourniquets, offer first aid, share blankets, and later to give blood, for the victims. President Obama followed the crisis from its first moments and came out promptly […]

Iran

How Washington Dropped the Ball on N Korean Nukes while Obsessing about Iran (McShane)

Juan Cole

Michael McShane writes in a guest column for Informed Comment In a recent article published in the Wall Street Journal, Jay Solomon highlighted the disproportionate attention President Obama has paid to Iran’s nuclear program since coming to office compared to the diplomatic engagement the United States has pursued vis-à-vis North Korea’s own steadily growing nuclear […]

Israel

Israel at 65: Welcome to the Neighborhood (Map)

Juan Cole

Satire Israel (in red) is welcomed into the Muslim Middle East in 2013 Zionism: The theory that because murderous Nazis hated Jews in the 1930s and 1940s, all Jews should now crowd into a narrow strip of land between the Mediterranean and 400 million angry Muslims.

Israel/ Palestine

Palestine PM Fayyad Resigns, a Victim of Israeli and US funding cut-off and backlash against Austerity

Juan Cole

The man recognized by the Palestine government based in Ramallah as prime minister, Salam Fayyad, has tendered his resignation to President Mahmoud Abbas. The most immediate cause of the dispute between the two was that, under pressure from crowds and from the Fateh party, the minister of finance, Nabil Qassis, tendered his resignation. Fayyad rejected […]

Egypt

Egypt: As Mubarak retrial begins, Judge Recuses Self

Juan Cole

Former Egyptian dictator Hosni Mubarak was brought to a courtroom on Saturday for the beginning of his retrial on charges of ordering hundreds of peaceful demonstrators killed in January and February 2011 during the revolution against him. The trial was abruptly postponed, however, when Judge Mustafa Hasan Abdullah recused himself. He had been involved in […]

Iran

“Losing my Religion” in Tehran (Music Video)

Juan Cole

Iranian mashup of R.E.M’s 1991 hit, “Losing my Religion”, set in Tehran. REM LOSING MY RELIGION at Tehran from Hamed Zarepoor on Vimeo. h/t reddit.com

Syria

Jordan, Overwhelmed by Syrian Refugees, Opens a New Camp

Juan Cole

Jordan has received about 600,000 Syrian refugees from the civil war raging in the latter country. It has now been constrained to open a second refugee camp at Marajid al-Fuhud, paid for by the United Arab Emirates and run by the Red Crescent (the Middle Eastern version of Red Cross). Aljazeera English reports on Jordan’s […]

Iran

Iran’s Presidential Election Heats up as Reformist Rowhani Enters Race (Jahanpour)

Juan Cole

Farhang Jahanpour writes in a guest column for Informed Comment The next crucial round of Iranian presidential elections will be held on 14 June 2013. It has just been officially reported that Hassan Rowhani has declared his candidacy for the election. Rowhani is an influential reformist politician and cleric. He was the chief Iranian nuclear […]